Tempt the Devil (The Devil of Ponong series #3) (32 page)

“If you
think that’s the sensible thing to do, then by all means, I bow to your
superior understanding of the situation – this time. So where do we find
one?” she asked.

“There
are a few places in town with machines, but this is hardly a message you want
to send through a clerk.”

“Would Lady QuiTai have one in the Red Happiness?”

“It’s illegal for Ponongese to have farwriters.”

She made a face. “I know that. But that wouldn’t stop her,
would it? Her main lieutenant, LiHoun, used to have one, and the Li Islanders
aren’t allowed to have them either. Unfortunately, he hasn’t responded to
Grandfather’s messages since the rice riot, so we’re not sure if he still has
it.”

Voorus sucked in a breath. “LiHoun was Grandfather Zul’s
agent?” Was it possible that QuiTai didn’t know her most trusted lieutenant
gave Grandfather Zul information? If she did, why was LiHoun still alive? Then
again, Cuulon was still alive, and Turyat still would be too if QuiTai had had
any say in the matter.

Nashruu pursed her lips and shook her head as if angry
with herself. “Forget I said that.”

“You can’t say something like that and then expect me to
forget it simply because you want me to.”

“Sh! Those soldiers are looking this way.”

The leaf sprang up to slap his face when she let go of it.
They skulked through the trees until they were far enough from the bridge that
they could risk walking on the road.

Voorus had to ask the question burbling in his brain. “Were
you always this way? You seem so different now.”

She
opened her parasol and took his arm. “I’m not sure I can answer that. I’ve
never felt as if I wasn’t me. Then, now, I’m essentially the same. You too. You
always look as if you’d rather be anywhere else.”

He
stopped and looked into her eyes. “No.”

“Come
now, you can be honest. I know you hated being a soldier.”

“That? Yes. But being with you made it tolerable.” He
cleared his throat. “I only ever wanted to study the law and live quietly.”

Her laughter traipsed down a musical scale. “You’re a Zul.
You’ll never be allowed to live quietly.” She crushed enticing parts of her
body against his arm. “At least we’re on this adventure together. There’s no
one else I’d rather crawl through a jungle with.”

It didn’t matter if she were saying that only to get him
to help. He wanted to believe it, so it had to be true. “We should find LiHoun,
then. He might still have that farwriter, and if he doesn’t, he might know
where to find one.”

“If he doesn’t, we should try Lizzriat.” She noticed his
surprise. “The Ingosolian owner of the Dragon Pearl.”

“I know who Lizzriat is. I’m surprised you do.”

“Grandfather
keeps me well informed.”

She
strode briskly toward the Red Happiness. With his long legs, Voorus had no
problem catching up to her.

“I’ve
always been curious about the Red Happiness. Who would have imagined I’d get to
see inside?”

He
gripped her elbow hard enough to bring her to a stop. “I can’t let you go in
there. I’m sorry, but as family, I have to protect your name.”

Her gloved hand covered her mouth as she giggled. “Voorus,
my love, I understand what you’re trying to do, but you have exactly two
seconds to forget all that nonsense and stop getting in my way, or I will
destroy you.” She smiled angelically at him as her eyelashes fluttered. “But if
you insist that the Red Happiness is off limits for me, find a way to sneak me
past those soldiers and get me to the compound. I
desperately
need to fetch something from my luggage.”

~ ~ ~

Colonel Hurust’s secretary, Major Rheagus, sighed when he
saw Kyam. “I was warned you’d probably come back. You have no authority here,
so why don’t you go back to your office and paint some pretty flowers?”

Kyam wanted to punch him.

“The King himself has interest in this matter, Major. We
have to stop Cuulon before he tortures Lady QuiTai to death.”

Major Rheagus scratched his ear. “You’re not in charge
here.”

Kyam wanted to grab him by the throat. “Where’s Colonel
Hurust?” He might have imagined the look of worry in the major’s eyes, but he
decided to press the young man anyway. “I’m not only the Governor; I’m a
Colonel in the Intelligence division. Do I need to point out that I outrank
you? And before you make any smart remarks about the military not being under
the command of Intelligence, you may want to consider my fists.” The blood had
washed off as waves had splashed over him while rowing across the harbor, but
bruises and an old scar gave his knuckles an aura of lurking violence.

Major Rheagus’ wide eyes stayed focused on Kyam’s hands as
he sank back into his desk chair. “This is our chance to be rid of the Devil’s
whore. You should be thanking us for cleaning up the filth up there for you
instead of trying to stop us.”

Kyam took a deep breath. Then another. He leaned close to
Major Rheagus and glowered. “It’s possible Cuulon, not Lady QuiTai, murdered
Turyat, and I know you wouldn’t dare execute someone for a crime they didn’t
commit. But even if you want her to die because she’s Ponongese, let me explain
that our king wants her alive. Do you know what the punishment is for defying
him? They take you out into the salt plains of the Great Malisium Desert and
bury you up to your neck in sand.”

No one had ever done such a thing to a Thampurian. Kyam
hoped Major Rheagus didn’t know that.

The major reached into his sleeves to scratch his arms
like a vapor addict craving dream. “Do you have proof that Cuulon is guilty?”

“The sand in the salt plains is so alkaline that when your
sweat mixes with it, you suffer chemical burns. It’s also so dry that it sucks
the moisture out of your skin and mummifies you alive. You’ll be delirious in
hours, but we’ll make sure you survive for weeks.”

Major Rheagus grabbed his keys. “I’m taking you to my
commander. That’s all you can order me to do.” He rushed out of the office and
hurried for the stairs.

~ ~ ~

The four guards at the table appeared confused when Kyam
opened the dungeon door. They shrank back from the sunlight.

The major’s lips pursed. He grabbed a jellylantern hanging
from the wall and headed down the stairs.

Kyam inhaled deeply. He didn’t smell vapor, even though
the guards had dreamer’s eyes. The tiles on the table hadn’t changed since his
first visit to the dungeon this morning. Frowning, he followed Major Rheagus
down the stairs.

Someone had replaced the jellylanterns in the dungeon
since his earlier visit. They didn’t illuminate much, but at least he could see
into each of the cells. This was what it had been like when he’d first brought
QuiTai to the dungeon this morning. He had a good idea who’d done it, but he
couldn’t guess why.

Major Rheagus led him to a squat wooden door at the far
end of the cavernous room. His mouth set into its prissiest clench. “I better
not get in trouble for interrupting them.”

“You can always tell them you were just following orders.”

“The door is probably locked.”

Kyam shoved open the door and rushed inside.

He didn’t dare show his relief. She was alive. He
staggered back a step as the rush of emotion overwhelmed him.

She was alive.

QuiTai was bound to the torture board by her wrists and
ankles. Iron bars crossed her chest and hips. She looked weary, but he didn’t
see any blood. He hoped the wicked hooked instrument at her feet had only been
used to menace her.

He’d never forgive her for putting him through this. He
shot her a look of pure venom; her most devilish grin spread across her face in
triumph.

Cuulon’s chair fell to the floor when he leapt to his
feet. He seemed flustered and a bit embarrassed to be caught not torturing her.
“What is the meaning of this, Zul?”

“Chief Justice Cuulon, you’re under arrest for the murder of
Governor Turyat,” Kyam said.

“What?” The finger crusher clanged loudly when he dropped
it on the table. “I didn’t murder anyone. What sort of nonsense is this?”

QuiTai clicked her tongue in disapproval. “Wrong. Not even
close, Governor.”

“This wasn’t my idea,” Major Rheagus told Cuulon. “I only
came down here to find Colonel Hurust.

“What in the name of infernal darkness is going on here?”
Cuulon roared. “She was about to tell me who murdered my friend.”

“Was I?” She sounded bored.

Cuulon glared at her. Kyam wasn’t sure who was torturing
whom in this room. Cuulon only had things that maimed and tore flesh; she was
armed with a far more vicious weapon.

“I don’t understand what’s going on,” Major Rheagus
grumbled. “How does she know who killed Turyat?”

Her eyes worried Kyam; he’d seen her this exhausted
before. She’d been busy since he’d left her. He found the keys to the shackles
on the table and grabbed them. “Why do I have a feeling this is all for show?”
he whispered to her as he unlocked one at her wrist.

“Test them. You’ll see they’re all real.” Despite how
tired she was, mischief danced through her eyes.

“Where is Colonel Hurust?” Major Rheagus asked. “He’s
supposed to be here.”

“He was, earlier, but had to go,” QuiTai said. “Thank you,
Governor.” She rubbed her wrist and smiled down at Kyam as he squatted to
unlock her ankles.

“What do you mean, ‘Had to go’?” Cuulon asked.

Kyam stepped in front of QuiTai. “Let’s not lose focus
here. Lady QuiTai was accused of murdering Governor Turyat. New information has
come to light that will exonerate her.”

“Such as?” Major Rheagus asked.

Kyam cast a glance over his shoulder at QuiTai. She seemed
amused, and not inclined to help him. He rubbed his hands together. “Well,
there’s her alibi.”

“That’s hardly new information, Zul,” Cuulon snapped.

“There’s also the fact that she didn’t want Turyat to die.
She enjoyed torturing him too much. Which isn’t proper behavior for a lady, but
I guess we all know she’s…” Kyam wished she’d rescue him from this humiliating
exercise. Her lips trembled as if she’d laugh any second.

“Zul, why don’t you shut up? She was about to tell me who
killed Turyat when you barged in here,” Cuulon said. His neck grew pink above
his collar and he twitched like man who chain-smoked kur. “And it wasn’t me!”

QuiTai pushed away the last metal bar securing her to the
board and walked around the room. From the way she moved, her muscles were
sore. Kyam was relieved that was the worst of her injuries.

As if she’d just remembered the men who were waiting anxiously
to hear what she might say, she turned around, smiling apologetically. “I’d
rather tell you somewhere else, such as in the marketplace.”

“You don’t leave here unless I’m convinced you’re
innocent,” Major Rheagus said. He set the chair upright and plopped into it.

“It’s quite simple,” QuiTai said. “And deathly dull.”

Cuulon grabbed her arm. “Stop toying with me!”

“I thought you liked that.”

Cuulon’s hand rose. He didn’t hit her, but the threat was
obvious. “Tell us who killed Turyat, or so help me, I’ll have the soldiers push
you off the ramparts with a rope around your neck, then haul you up before your
neck breaks, and do it over and over again until your neck is bruised and you’ve
forgotten what it’s like to have air in your lungs.”

Instead of being scared, as any sane person would be,
QuiTai seemed mildly annoyed. “You don’t understand the premise of dramatic
tension, do you? Oh, very well. I’ll tell you.”

“Who?”

“But first–”

“Oh, for the love of deep water, just start removing her
fingers.” Major Rheagus grabbed the iron tool from the table and lunged across
the table.

She stared him down. “If I’m harmed, I will take the name
to my grave.”

To Kyam’s amazement, Cuulon stepped between Major Rheagus
and QuiTai. “Don’t you dare touch her.”

The major’s mouth dropped open.

“Tell me. Give me peace from this torment,” Cuulon begged
QuiTai. A tear dropped down his cheek.

QuiTai caressed his face. “There will be no peace with the
answer. You’ll be up nights howling at the moon for the unfairness of it. Tears
will flow until your eyes are dry as the salt plains of Ravidia. You’ll call
down the gods themselves to demand an apology for the stupidity of it all. No
rest, no satisfaction, no peace, ever. The absolute waste of Turyat’s death
will torment you to your last breath. And I’m more than happy to be the person
who unleashes that torment in your heart. But first–”

Kyam groaned. “Can you have two firsts?”

She motioned for silence. “I want your promise – Chief
Justice Cuulon and Governor Zul – that the murderer will be brought to
trial. It won’t be fair, of course, but there must be a trial, with evidence
and a legal defense and all the other actors necessary for a farce.”

Kyam bowed his head as revelations swarmed his brain. He
didn’t understand her plan, but the glimpses were astonishing enough. She never
played for petty stakes.

“I don’t
understand. If it’s a farce, then why do you want a trial?” Major Rheagus
asked.

“Precedence.
She’s setting a precedent,” Kyam said.

The men
stared at him. He smiled sheepishly, because it was embarrassing to show how
slow he was compared to her. Then he realized the other men had no idea what he
knew. They hadn’t seen and heard everything he had today. They didn’t know what
he did. And yet, how superior could he feel when the answer had been screaming
in his ear all day and only now he was hearing it?

“I agree. Do you, Cuulon? Come on,” Kyam said.